Snobby about chain food

[limeandwater]

Are people on MN snobby about chain restaurants?

I only ask because some of the comments on the £52 lunch thread.

I consider myself a bit of a foodie and enjoy fine dining.

But I also enjoy an American Hot at Pizza Express, a burger at GBK, the Katsu curry at Waggamamma's, a wrap at Nando's.

Am I a wrong un?

I wouldn't even feed it to my dog!

MN users are an 'average' demographic so you would expect snobbery. Wealthy people are using threads like these for entertainment.

I am learning a lot of chains I've never seen, on here, so that's good
I agree the Ivy is style over substance. But I still like the atmosphere in them mostly. The Harrogate one is nicer than the Manchester one. The Leeds one is okay, IMO.

Following on from my other post, if you're a vegetarian or vegan, the only thing you can get at Five Guys is a bun with some lettuce in it, as far as I know.

You'd have to pay me to eat at a TGI Friday's (possibly because I worked there all through college and it was minging, but also because I have eaten there twice recently both other's choices. One time, ordered a fajita and the tortillas are so tiny you can barely fit anything in them, I left most of the filling due to this. Another time the table was so tiny that it could barely fit our plates and drinks, and it was freezing. Who wants to eat a meal with their winter coat on?

And example of the sort of thing that can make chain restaurants dreadful, is this:

I recently ordered fish and chips in a restaurant that was attached to a Premier Inn (I think it was Brewer's Fayre?) because we were stopping the night to break a long journey and there was nowhere else nearby. When I cut into the enormous looking piece of battered fish, all the batter fell away to reveal.... a second layer of batter underneath. I was a bit confused so I poked around and soon realised that inside my 'big bit of battered fish' was one of those small, completely rectangular, factory cut, factory battered portions of fish of the sort you buy in a box of four from Findus, in the supermarket.

So they'd taken a bog standard, small frozen battered fish fillet and RE-BATTERED IT over the top of the first layer of batter, to make it look not only twice the size, but like a proper fresh piece of fish from a proper fish and chip shop. The fucking cheek of it. 😵And the chips were dry and awful as well.

Another time, in the same chain but a different branch, I had the worst, slimiest lasagne I've ever eaten in my life, with a flabby, anaemic bit of garlic bread and a side salad that was just a sad and wilty bowl of iceberg lettuce, cucumber and some bits of red pepper, doused in far too much horrible viscous gloop that was supposed to be French dressing.

My husband has eaten a pretty decent mixed grill in the same place both times, but it's just Russian Roulette and I won't risk it again.

Probably not for a dog, but what exactly is wrong with something like a grilled chicken salad?

Pretty much nails it

Well I went to a few of the first places they opened and loved it. But I think with all these chains, once they reach a critical mass they overstretch themselves, they are possibly franchised and the quality inevitably suffers. Some will be better than others. I've not been to GS for a while but have recently been to Rosa's Thai twice and really liked it.

I think Waga's stays pretty consistent though.

And I love Five Guys but there's no doubt it's expensive for somewhere with no proper plates or cutlery. I'd pay for Five Guys over McDonalds or Burger King any day though. And I only need their baby burger because they are huge.

You're not a wrong un but in recent years the quality of food at most chain restaurants has really notably diminished - they've dramatically cut margins and it shows in flavour, portion size - everything. I'd rather eat at home and go out for a drink than eat at most now. Struglling to think of one I actually like

But at least masala is usually made from a blend of spices. Katsu is just oyster sauce, ketchup, sugar and Worcestershire if I remember correctly. Not exactly tricky to make at home. It’s like ‘thousand island dressing’ - makes ‘ketchup and salad cream (or mayo) mix’ sound so exotic..

Everyone’s wealthy on the internet 🤷🏻‍♀️ Reddit for women, really.

It must depend what you order with Cote. I have had mussels and chips the last twice I've been there, and I was full. I am not a small eater. Also you can free extra chips if you want.

Agree 100%

I like to dine out in nice, independent, varied restaurants,
But out with friends, walking or visiting a tourist attraction, I bloody love a chain - McDs, KFC, or.....drum roll Wetherspoons.
Cheap, cheerful and quick.

Save the good stuff for when I have time to enjoy the ambiance!

Fries are the default. You can change for carrot sticks

Could I just add in some concern over animal welfare? Recently Nando’s and KFC both moved away from a minimum standard for chicken welfare. As I understand it this means that the chickens they use cannot even turn around in their cages. I am a confirmed meat eater, but when I need a quick meal I think twice on this basis.

Good Gad, that's appalling!

Sorry, local INDEPENDENT I mean, not chain. All they sell for the likes of me is pasta in tomato sauce. This is common with Italian restaurants.

My DH is weirdly snobby about some chain places but not others. So he won’t have a Wagamama or a Pizza Express but will happily chomp down a Five Guys or a Yo Sushi. I 100% know it’s snobbery on his part - he has a very skewed idea of what working class people see as valuable. I challenge him on his views very often because he can never come up with a decent explanation for wanting to avoid certain chains and patronise others.

I’ll eat anywhere if it’s clean and the service is reasonable, bar Frankie & Benny’s because their food looks, smells and is utterly disgusting.

Pretty meatball wrap is my treat lunch, with a lemon cheesecake pot. Fine dining it’s not but it does hit the spot.

Chains have their place, useful for quick meals especially when you don’t know the area but I was shocked at the price tag for pizza express. We have multiple independent restaurants and pubs with good pizza and none come with such hefty price tags eg independent bar with brewery attached, pizzas are £15 and huge (kids could share) and side salad is £5 for a large. Beers are £6 wine is £8 for a large, garlic bread is £8 for family sized portion.

The blandness of it?

Plain grilled chicken, iceberg lettuce, tomato and cucumber.

Nan salad

I’d eat a Pret crawfish sandwich every day of my life if I could. Alas, no Pret in my town.

A beer with your breakfast McMuffin on the beach in adeje is ace.

Can’t understand people who would “rather starve” than have a salad or a box of fries.

I love cooking and am a really good cook (blowing my own trumpet but it's true). I'm also a massive foodie and have eaten in some truly fabulous restaurants. I was even a food critic for a brief spell (got too fat though so had to give it up). But I'm not going to lie, I enjoy a Harvester meal on occasion. Cheap (well, relatively), lots of it, and I haven't cooked it - win!

I like both independents and chains, just depends what im in the mood for.